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POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM. No. 462,808 gatented Nov. 10, 1891.

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POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM.

No. 462.808. Patented Nov. 10, 1891.

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l M M Wwaea five??? Jays UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL BANKS CREGIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IlAIlF T O DE \VITT C. OREGIER, SR, ()F SAME PLACE.

POLICE-SIGNAL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 462,808, dated November 10, 1891.

Application filed November 26, 1889. Serial No. 331,709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL BANKS CRE- GIER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Police-Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in police-signaling systems for transmitting signals between street-boxes and the main or central station, and has for its prime object to enable the sending in to the central station of two or more signals of different character over a single line between a street-box and the central station and the receipt by the central station of two or more like or different signals simultaneously from different streetboxes without liability of confusion.

Another object of my invention is to instantly indicate at the central station not only the character of the signalthat is, the purpose for which it is sent-but also the exact point or street-box from which it was sent, whereby the maximum promptness maybe exercised in complying with the signals and a great saving of valuable time be effected.

A further object is to enable the central operator to signal to an oliicer while on his beat through the street-box of his district to the exclusion of all the other street-boxes in the district and call him to the box for instructions, whereby in case of fire, a disturb ance of any character, or where the massing of officers is desirable the attention of any one or all of the officers upon their respective beats may behad at the central station at the earliest possible moment.

These objects are attained by the devices illustrated in the'accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. represents in diagram a single streetbox and its connection with the central station for convenience of description; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the central-station receivingboard, such as is ordinarily employed in connection with my system; Fig. 3, a detailed section thereof more clearly showing the manner of operating the drops or visual signals; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail of one form of shunting device.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the d rawings. A

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the receiving-board at the central station, and B, a street-box connected therewith by a line-wire O, forming one side of the electric circuit, which is completed through the ground by the grounding of both ends of the wire in any well-known and convenient manner.

At the receiving-station is located a signalbell D,a series of drop or visual signals E, an ordinary telephone transmitter and receiver F, a switch-board G, and a battery II, all shown practically in diagram in Fig. 1 of the drawin gs, with the various elements separated and located conveniently for the purposes of description.

In the street'box is shown a call-bell I, a

magneto-generator J, with signal-bells attached, a handbperated switch K, a relay L, with local contact-points, a telephone-transmitter M, and receiver N, a circuit making and breaking device or shunt O, operated automatically by the opening and closing of the door of the main box, and a battery P, all of which are likewise shown in diagram and 0011- veniently located for the purposes of description.

The shunting device 0, operated by the main door Q of the street-box, is so arranged that upon the opening of the door the relay will be automatically shunted or bridged thereby; but upon the closing of the door the relay will be in circuit, for the purpose hereinafter more particularly described.

lVith the devices shown in the drawings, three kinds of signals, different in character, may be sent over a single line between the street-box and the central station. First, an oiiicers report-signal will simply consist in dropping the shutter at the central station to indicate the point or box from which the ofiicer desires to make his report, whereupon the central operator may cut into the circuits the telephone and have any desirable communication therethrough with the officer; second, a patrol-wagon call, which consists of drop ping the shutter at the central to indicate the box from which the signal is sent and the point at which the wagon is wanted, and simultaneously the ringing of a signal-bell at the central to further direct the attention of the operator to the call, whereupon the wagon is sent without other communication between the central station and the box. The third signal is the ringing of the call-bell upon the street-box by the central operator to call the patrolman on the beat to the box to receive instructions in any emergency from the central ,ofiice. Supposing now that upon opening the door the ofiicersimply desires to send in a report to the central station, it is only necessary for him to operate the switch K, moving it to the contact a, when the local battery P will be thrown into circuit through the medium of the wire 1), leading from said contact to the battery, the opposite pole of which is in turn connected with the ground by the wire 0. The remainder of the circuit through the drop-signal,-which, it will be understood, is operated by the local battery P, is made through the line-wire 0, leading from the switch K to the receiving-board A at the central station, thence by wire (1 to the switch 6, one point of which is connected by wiref with one coil of an electro-magnet g, to the opposite terminal of which'is connecteda wire h, leading to a me:

tallic bar 6, secured to the receiving-board, which bar is in turn connected by wirej with the electro-magnet of the magneto sign al-bell D, after passing through which it is grounded through wire 7c, thus completing the electric circuit. The armature Z of the electro-magnet gis secured to the inner end of a leverm, the outer end of which lever is hook-shaped and engages the upper edge of a pivoted shut-' ter n, so as to hold the same in an approximately vertical position or slightly off the dead-center, so that when disengaged by the hook the shutter will fall by gravity,-exposing an indicator-plate 0, upon which is marked in any suitable manner the location of the box from which the signal is sent, such as State & Adams. (Indicated upon the drawings.) Thus when the circuit is closed by the officer operating the switch K in a stre'et-box, the drop-si nal corresponding thereto at the central station will be instantly operated, so as to indicate to the operator at the central station not only the fact that an officer desires to make a report, but also the point or street-box from which the report is to be made. Y

Itwillbeunderstoodthatthemagnetosignalbell D at the central station will not be rung by the passage of the battery-current through the magnets thereof, because in practice the current for operating the magneto signal-bell must be an alternating current, while the 10- cal battery P is so connected in the circuit that the fiow of the current generated thereby will always be continuous in one direction. Hence when the drop-signal is'sent in from the box using the local battery for energizing the magnet thereof, the current will actuate the drop-controlling magnet only, and will pass through the magneto signal-bell to the ground without ringing the bell. Upon the receipt of such a signal at the central office the operator at the central station knows that an officer at a certain street-box wishes to send in a report, so he immediately shifts the switch e to the telephone-point p, thus cutting the drop-signal out of the line and cutting the telephone E into the line, the officer at the box at the same time restoring the switch K to the position shown in the drawings, when the telephone at the central station and in the box will be in circuit with each other. It will be understood that the central operator will first answer the signal by manipulating the crank of his telephone the usual manner the local battery P will be thrown into a local circuit for the transmitter M of the box telephone. In practice the switch K will be spring-actua ted, so that it will automatically return to its normal position shown in the drawings. lhe circuit from the switch c and contact 19 will new continue through the wires (1,0', and s to the telephone F, and from thence to the ground through the wire is. The remainder of the circuit, beginning at the switch K, is completed through wires t, the binding-post u, wire 1), shunting device 0, and wire 20, to binding-post 00. Upon the officer lifting the receiver the hook or switch-lever .2, upon which itordinarily hangs, under the influence of the retractile spring a, swings up from the contact I) to the contact 0', and the circuit through the receiver is now completed by the wire 6' leading thereto from the contact c and the wire f leading therefrom to the transmitter M, which in turn is connected by the wire g with the ground. The local circuit for the transmitter is simultaneously made through the medium of the contacts d and cl, the former of which is connected by wire 2" with one pole of the local battery I, and the latter by wire h with the transmitter, which in turn is connected with the other pole of the battery by the wire j. With the parts in this position telephonic communication may be had between the oflicer at the streetbox and the operator at the central station in the same manner as if no other apparatus were included in the system.

To send in the second signal for a patrolwagon, the officer at the box, instead of using the switch K and throwing the local battery P into the circuit, has simply to turn the crank. of the magneto-generator J, which is grounded by the wire it, when the current generated thereby will traverse the wire Z, contact I), switch-lever z to the post or, and thence out over the line and through'the dropsignal corresponding with the box and the magneto signal-bell D to the ground in the manner previously described, causing the simultaneous operation of both the drop-signal and bell, which latter will be operated by the alternating current produced by the generator, thus giving the operator at the central station both a drop or visual signal and simultaneously a bell-signal, which not only attracts his attention but indicates the point at which the patrolavagon is needed. This signal may, if desired, be answered in the same manner as the report-signals, to insure the person at the box that the signal has been received at the central station by the central operator cutting his telephone in and energizing the magneto-generator on his telephone, so as to cause the magneto-bell J in the box to give an answering ring.

The third system of signals which may be sent over the single line C is a call from the central ol'tlce to the oiiicer on the beat by ring ing the call-bell I, preferably secured upon theontside of the box. To accomplish this, the local battery ll at the central station is now cut-into the circuit by means of the switch 6, when the current therefrom passes back over the line to the switch K, and thence over the wire 6 to the binding-post u; but itwill be understood that at this-time the main door Q of the street-box is closed and the current therefore passes through the coils of the relay L, after passing through and energizing which it is grounded in the manner before described. The energizing of the relay operates a circuit-closer 1, attached to its armature, for a short local circuit, in which the 10- cal battery P and the call-bell I are included. This circuit-closer moves into contact with the points 2 and S, from whence the circuit may be traced in one direction through the wires a and 5 to the electro-magnet for operating the call-bell I, and from thence by wire 6 to one side of the battery P, and in the other direction beginningat the contactpoint 2 through wires 7, 8, and l) to the other side of the local battery. Thusit will be seen that the battery H at the central station for sending this signal is employed only for the purpose of energizing the relay L, so as to close the local circuit in the box in which is included the local battery P, which is employed for ringing the call-bell also included in said local circuit, and obviously as long as the central operator holds the circuit closed through the battery at the central station, just so long will the bell on the box continue to ring. After ringing a sufficient length of time to attract the attention of the officer upon his beat, the central operator returns the switch 6 to its normal position, (shown at the left in Fig. 2,) so that when the officer arrives at the box he may indicate his presence by-the dropsignal and afterward hold communication with the central operator through the tele phone in the manner previously described.

In practice a receivingboard similar to that shown in Fig. 2 will be employed at the central station,having a number of dropsignals corresponding with the number of streetboxes in the district, but only a single signalbell D in circuit with all 01. the drop-signals, so that it may be actuated simultaneously with either one or any number of them. Now, should the report-signal be sent in from two or more boxes simultaneously, the drop-signals indicating such boxes will all operate simultaneously; but as these signals mean simply a report, no confusion will occur, because the operator can answer first one and then the other; but should a reporbsignal and a wagon-signal or two wagon-signals be sent in simultaneously, the dropslgnal will indicate the locations from which the signals were sent, and the bell-signal D will also ring; but the operator is unable to determine from the signals received at which point the wagon is wanted and at which point the oliicer wishes to make a report, or whether both want wagons or only one of them. To avoid this confusion the operator may immediately cut his telephone and accompanying bell into either one of the circuits from which the signals are sent. If the telephone-bell also rings and the signal-bell continues to ring, then the central operator will understand that at both streetboxes from which the signals are sent a patrol-wagon is wanted, and may be sent without any appreciable delay; but if only one of the bells should ring, then the operator will understand that at the corresponding streetbox the officer desires a patrol-wagon, and he can be attended to first without unnecessary delay, while at the other box the ollicer desires simply to make a report, which is in cated by the silent hell.

I may here state that while the local battery H at the central station is shown separate from the telephone, it may be employed as the local for-the telephone, and such will be the casein practice; but for simplicity and convenience I have shown it as described. It is also obvious that it may be substituted by a mechanical generator of any suitable character, which will answer all the requirements of the battery, except as a local for the telephone. In my system no permanent mainline batteries are employed; but the local bat teryP is a main-line battery when the reportsignal is being sent and the local battery ll when it is used to call. oflicers on the beat to the box.

My system possesses numerous advantages, chief among which is that over thesaine line between a street-box and the central station a numberof distinct and different signals may be sent, and r the location of the street-box from which the signal is sent instantly indicated to the central operator, beside which the operator at the central station may give a signal calling to the street-box any officer on the beat in which thebox is located, either for the purpose of communicating special orders or massing theotficcrs or forjanyotherpurpose. It will also be observed that the mechanism to call the patrol-wagon, which may be the only signal used by the general public, is

separated from the other instruments, which are inclosed in the iron casing contained in the main street-box, shown in the drawings, and provided with a locking-door to which only officers have the key, and hence unauthorized citizens can at best only operate the patrol-wagon call for gaining access to the main street-box, while the officer need never touch the wagon-call unless he wishes the wagon. Besides this, with a separate line to each box if a break occurs in the line only one box becomes useless, while in other systems where the boxes are connected inseries in the line, if a break occurs all the boxes in the system are'rendered useless. Nor with my separate line system for each box can unauthorized persons who have obtained keys to the boxes listen to police business from other boxes, which from a good-service standpoint is of the utmost importance.

In conclusion I may state that by my in ven-' tion a number of signals may be sent over a single circuit in which are'included diiterent devices for the different signals operated by electric currents of different character, all of which pass over the same line and through the same instruments, but without operating any other than the desired signal device, and that the character and location of the signaling devices may be changed, as well as the wiring forming the circuits through them, and also that the signals sent may have any other desired significance than that herein described.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a signaling system, the combination, with a central station, a street-box connected therewithbyaclosed electriccircuit,andadrop and a magneto-bell signal at the station,both included in said circuit and operating as described, of a mechanical generator, and a local battery, both also included in said circuit at the box for producing currents of different characters in said circuit, and a switch at the box' for throwing said battery into said closed circuit for operating the visual signal atthe station, substantially as described.

2. In a signaling system, the combination, with the box and the central station connected by a main electric circuit, of a dropsignal and magneto-bell, both included in said circuit at the station, and a switch, a local battery, and a mechanical generator also included in said circuit at the box, whereby two currents of difierent characters may be produced in said main circuit and the switch may be employed for throwing the battery into the main line and operating the dropsignal, or the generator may be employed for operating both the drop-signal and magnetobell, substantially as described.

3, In a signaling system, the combination, with the central station, a street-box connected therewith by an electric circui.t,a relay with local contacts included in said circuit. at the box, a shunt therefor automatically operated by the closing of the door of the box, a local generator at the central station, and a switch for throwing the same into said circuit, of a local battery and circuitin the box, said local circuit being closed by the action of the relay, and a call-bell at the box, also included in said local circuit, substantially as described.

4. In a signaling system, the combination, with the central station and the street-box, of a main-line circuit connecting said box and station, a magneto-generator at the box, a shunt for automatically closing said mainline circuit through said generator when the door of the box is open, and the visual. and magneto-bell signals at the station, both normally included in the main-line circuit, substantially as set forth.

5. In a signaling system, the combination, with the central station and two or more street-boxes, of the drop or visual signals at the station equal in number to the number of the street-boxes, a magneto-signal at the sta-' tion normally included in circuit with all of said visual signals, and each of said visual signals being connected with one of the streetboxes by a main line, a battery, a switch at each box for connecting its main line with said battery, and a magneto-generator at each box also included in its main line, substantially as set forth.

6. In a signaling system, the combination, with the central stat-ion and two or more street-boxes, of drop or visual signals at the station corresponding in number to the number of street-boxes, a magneto-signal at the station normally included in circuit with all of said visual signals, and said visual signals being connected with their respective street boxes by separate main lines, a battery, a switch at'each box for connecting its main line with said battery, a magneto-generator at each box also included in its main line, a magneto-telephone signal at the station, and a switch for cutting said telephone-signal into circuit with either of said main lines,

substantially as described;

NATHANIEL BANKS CREGIER.

\Vitnesses:

W. R. OMOHUNDRO, R. G. OMOHUNDRO.

IIO 

